Many of us want to "stick it" to the oil industries. Before I state what I do, let me share a couple existing items. If you wish to skip ahead to what I do, feel free (I will place a heading in bold).

1 - Best answer, by and car, stop using your car. Walk, ride a bike or get on public transportation (like riding a bus). Not applicable for everyone, I know, but you want to stick it the oil industry, best way, quite being so personally dependant on them.

2 - Many people send around "this is national boycott gas day" e-mails. Those won't work. The reason, sure, one or two days no one buys gas, but think about what happens before and after that "boycott". People are lining up at the pumps so they have fuel to get by for the days of the alleged boycott.

3 - Get people in a community to stop buying gas from a specific gas station or chain. Again, this is not a good approach. Many of those stores, despite the name on the door, are privately owned, so you are making a victim of someone who does not have much control on the overall price. The BIGGER reason this doesn't work is that all our petroleum based products come from only a few vendors (hypothetically you may have 50 gas station chains, but they get their gas from 3 suppliers). Basically, you have to know where your gas stations get their supply and pic a supplier (not a gas station) to not buy from.

What I Do:
We all have a right to be a "smart" consumer. Many of us go to the pump and fill up the tank. I stopped that practice years ago. I am still bound to using my car to commute to and from work for a variety of reasons, taking public transportation is a tough situation for me to justify.

What I do is I set a price and said "If gas is over this price, I will NOT fill up my tank, I will only put in about $10-$20 depending on how good the price might be just to get me by for a day or two".

The reason is, how many times do you fill up your tank and then the next day gas took reasonable swing DOWN in price (say 20 cents a gallon) you go "WOW, wish I didn't fill up yesterday?". With what I do, I have at least half a tank I can use to take advantage of a downward turn in price (even if it's not my "sweet spot" price, the goal is to take advantage of a LOWER per gallon of gas).

I am doing this for a couple of reasons:
1 - The oil industry does NOT get a all my money on their most expensive gas prices.
2 - I am in a position to take advantage of when prices dip.
3 - I would rather the oil industry see a spike in profits when their prices drop, not go up.

I accept their might be faults in my logic, but in the end, it's the best I can do to make my bank account happier about my gasoline spending. I admit, I make more trips to the gas pumps as a result, but it's the best I can do at the moment with what I got.

Feel free to try this method for yourself, or feel free to share other tips in this thread that you may try to do to save on gas prices.

 

I live 1 mile from work & I have rode the bike before! I have walked/jogged it too! Maybe everyone close to work could ride a bike or walk... That would send a message!

 

Thanks Maniac for taking your time to share your tips and experience...I hope more member's do the same, because I believe we are all going to have to find ways to conserve/save and survive in our World Today...
Below are some tips I found on my homepage...I hope it helps a few our our members that read our posts/threads.
Good Luck to `All 4-Real ~>Sure
===========================================

Gas Savings Tips That Don't Actually Work

by Claire Bradley
Monday, March 7, 2011


provided by

Have you filled up your car lately and cringed to see how much a tank of gas sets you back? The average cost of a gallon of unleaded gas has climbed above $3/$4, with predictions that international unrest may drive prices even higher. We still have to drive to work and/or school, so we look for ways to squeeze more miles out of that pricey tank -- but do those tricks you hear about amount to real savings? Here are six gas saving tips that don't actually work, and ways you can make the most of a gallon.

Quote:

More from Investopedia.com:

• Ways to Save Money at the Pump

• 5 Ways to Buy a Used Car

• Getting a Grip on the Cost of Gas

1. Turning Off the AC
Air conditioning in your home does a number on your electric bill, so it must drain your gas tank too, right? Not so much. Auto testing at Consumer Reports proves that running the AC uses such a nominal amount more in gas, you may as well turn on the AC and be comfortable on a hot day. Rolling down your windows can add drag, zapping your car's efficiency; for best gas mileage, run the fan and keep your windows rolled up.
2. Filling Up When It's Cold Outside
Get your gas in the evening or early morning -- the fuel is cold, and therefore denser. The truth about this myth is that you can barely register a temperature difference, since gas is stored in cool underground tanks, so fill up when you want. There are no savings to be had by waiting until it's cool out.
3. Increasing Tire Pressure
To get the most out of your gallon of gas, you should pump up those tires, some say. While driving on underinflated tires can cost you 3.75% in fuel economy, overinflating tires can be downright dangerous, since it reduces your grip on the road and could cause an accident. Proper tire inflation is important for safety and longevity of your tires, but don't expect any significant gas savings there.
4. Pouring Additives
Where there's a need, there's a product, but that doesn't mean it actually works. Our desire for better fuel economy seems answered by fuel additives and even bolt-on devices -- but they're a complete waste of money according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
5. Changing the Air Filter
Taking care of your car is a good thing: You'll be able to drive it longer, and get the most for your money. Don't expect maintenance like changing the air filter to get you more miles out of the gas tank, though. Consumer Reports tests have shown that with today's computerized cars, clogged air filters don't actually reduce fuel economy. Take care of your car to make it last, but don't look at air filters to reduce your gas expense.
6. Keeping the Engine Running
Starting a car sucks up fuel, some say, so keep the engine idling when possible. That's bad advice: today's fuel-injected vehicles are efficient and don't waste gas during start-ups anymore. In fact, idling can cost you up to half a gallon of gas an hour, so turn off the engine if you're not going anywhere.
The Bottom Line
There are a lot of myths out there when it comes to saving gas. So what does actually help improve your fuel economy? Instead of looking at your car to improve fuel economy, try changing the way you drive. Calm driving on the highway -- not zipping between lanes, tailgating or revving the engine so you quickly get up to speed -- can improve your fuel efficiency a whopping 33%. Remove any excess weight from your car to bump fuel economy another 2%, and drive sixty miles an hour (when the speed limit allows) on the highway for another 23% improvement in fuel efficiency. In the end, best fuel economy comes from a calm and safe driver, something that's a good thing regardless of the price we pay at the pump.

 

I have a friend that dumps car in Neutral & shuts the motor off when he goes down a hill - problem is that make the steering wheel lock in one Position. He says he does it all the
time !! ?? Besides having a wreck & risking hurting someone/himself --I can't see how that would save any gas anyway.

 

Hi `Mark, I don't think that's wise, but I also think the transmission has to be in Park to lock ?

I also don't think it would save that much fuel, plus one never knows when they need to be in gear to have the power to avoid a accident/pet/peopl etc...That faction of a second can be a lot of time when you have to put it back in gear...
I hope I'm not going up the hill when he's coming down

 

1 - As long as the key is not in the "off" position, the wheel should not be locked (another words, one click over to accessory mode, that will stop the engine, but not lock the wheel).
2 - That's a BIG safety risk your friend is taking. Without the engine running, he does not have the benefit of power brakes (not to be confused with ABS that would ALSO be disabled). Yes, the breaks will still work but not nearly as well as they should. He would also NOT have use of power steering. And like Space said, there's little to no gain in that practice (and certainly not enough to justify the safety risks involved).

You may want to tell your friend, he's putting not just his life in danage but the lives of others as well.

In general, I like the beginning banter people are having. Space included some GREAT info about fuel efficiency myths that have a couple other fuel savings tips. Please, everyone, share things you feel help save at the pump.

 

That's got to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. He's going to eventually be on the wrong side of a Darwin award doing that.

 

depends on how the switch works... but you put more wear on your starter doing that. Plus, you've got that transmission spinning it's @$$ of and the front pump isn't turning with the engine if ti's built like old transmission. Old RWD cars said in the owners manual don't tow anymore than like 25 miles at like 45 mph without dropping the driveshaft because it kills the transmission.... I think he's doing more harm than good. Saves $20 worth of gas to spend $2500 in repairs.